A train conductor from West Yorkshire who befriended and sexually assaulted a young girl was caught after a colleague heard him making sexual remarks to her on a work phone.

TransPennine Express conductor Charles Hall, 58, assaulted the girl on two separate occasions after they met through volunteering for a local organisation. A court heard how Hall then began messaging her on Facebook and meeting with her regularly.

Hall has now been jailed for more than two years for his crimes.

Concerns were raised about Hall after colleagues reported him filming himself at a urinal at work, and later overhearing him using sexual language on a video call in the conductors' staff room.

Detectives from British Transport Police seized Hall's work phone and examined it, before discovering indecent images and Facebook Messenger conversations with the victim.

Hall was found to be communicating with his victim while at work as a conductor for TransPennine Express (Image: handout)

Hall, of Fallwood Street, Haworth, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to two counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15, and three counts of possessing indecent images of a child.

He was jailed for 28 months, handed a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offender's Register for seven years.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Det Insp Granville Sellers, from BTP, said: "Hall exploited the position of trust he had at a local organisation to befriend a young girl over a series of months. Then, on more than one occasion he sexually assaulted her, knowing full well that his actions were illegal and entirely reprehensible.

"I am grateful to the vigilant staff members at TransPennine Express trains for alerting us to Hall's suspicious and inappropriate behaviour.